Texas bill would make cowboy hat the official state headwear

The cowboy hat may become Texas’ official headgear if a state representative has her way.

Marsha Farney, a Republican from the Austin area who proposed the bill, said when people think of Texas, they think of cowboy hats, and it makes sense to declare it the state’s official headwear.

“People even overseas, when they see a cowboy hat, they have an affiliation of Texas with that cowboy hat,” Farney said, noting there is plenty of room for the designation in the state that already has an official state bird, dog, dinosaur and cooking implement.

While official state mottoes, birds, flowers, and trees are common, State Symbols USA shows no other state has an official hat.

It does not matter if the cowboy hat style is “Boss of the Plains,” “The Cattleman” or “The Gus” because all would be equal under the measure filed in the Texas State Legislature on Monday.

“The cowboy hat symbolizes both the state’s iconic Western culture and the uniqueness of its residents,” the legislation reads.